CSIR Science Scope

In our technology-driven world of today, it is difficult to imagine a world without data. Imagine a large research organisation, such as the CSIR, without information or evidence. In the CSIR, data may be collected by a lone lab technician recording test measurements, or by a PhD student counting the answers from respondents to their questionnaire, or through a large number of fieldwork records regarding whether or not an intervention was successful in changing lives in a rural community, or even from the monitoring of atmospheric changes with advanced instruments at sub-continental level. It is unthinkable to have a research report or scientific paper that does not include some form of research data.

The CSIR’s micro nanochip manufacturing facility has its roots in a breath-analysing solution that enables the development of a wide range of gas-sensing micro nanochips that have the ability to detect diseases, such as diabetes, lung cancer and renal failure, at an early stage, simply by breathing into the device. The CSIR diabetes breath analyser could eventually replace current medical finger prick testers used for this purpose.

Five small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have been granted instant access licences for SmartSense, a CSIR technology that enables real-time monitoring and controlling of water or energy distribution network components.